Introduction
One of the front-burning issues in Nigeria today is Good Governance. We live at a time of great distortions in our polity. Our natural resource lifeline – crude oil – is selling at over $100 a barrel and we are producing at the highest output in a decade, yet our nation is broke. Our yearly budget contains deficit in billions of naira. Our capital budget for investment in physical infrastructure, human capital and enabling environment for job creation is not enough and most of it to be borrowed! No one in the government seems to know what the other is doing and our welfare, progress and future of our children are the worse for it. Amidst this level of intra-governmental confusion and contradictions, we live in great fear of anarchists on the one hand, and ethnic irredentists’ issuing threats of secession and break-up of our country! Should we talk about governance at all, or something else?
This question needs to be asked because it is frustrating to see otherwise reasonable and enlightened people, especially young professionals, succumbing to the retrogressive whims and caprices of some senile and bitter opinion leaders and politicians whose activities constitute a threat to the wellbeing, growth, unity and the sustenance of the Nigeria project. Just for the crumbs that could be picked for selfish reasons, some young professionals have joined the conservative realm of a privileged few at the helm of affairs whose activities continually put our polity on the brink.

Good Governance
The concept of “governance” is not new. It is as old as human civilization. It could be simply defined as: the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). Governance can be used in several contexts such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and local governance. For the purpose of this article, we would look at governance from the national angle with all its implicit multiplier effect across the various strata of our society.
Good Governance in effect represents a concept of governance that meets certain threshold. The thresholds of ‘good governance’ have 8 major portals: It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making, while the majority has its way. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

Participation
Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good governance. Participation could be either direct or through legitimate intermediate institutions or representatives. It is important to point out that representative democracy does not necessarily mean that the concerns of the most vulnerable in society would be taken into consideration in decision making. Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil society on the other hand.

Rule of law
Good governance requires a fair legal framework, with written laws that are enforced impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities and vulnerable groups. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary, whistle-blowing media and an impartial and incorruptible police force.

Transparency
Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.

Responsiveness
Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe. Do I need to give any examples of these failures? Do you write to a government department and got a response? Do you see the policeman and think of him as a friend?

Consensus oriented
There are several actors and as many view points in a given society. Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved. It also requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such development.
This can only result from an understanding of the historical, cultural and social contexts of a given society or community. And this means that for a nation with our levels of diversity, there is really no alternative to true federalism – in which as muchpower, responsibilities and resources are devolved to communities, local and state governments, with the federal government doing a few things very competently – national defence, foreign relations, domestic and foreign counter-intelligence, central banking and currency, immigration and customs, and the like.

Equity and inclusiveness
A society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain their well being.
Everything from revenue allocation system, taxation and distribution, federal character and political culture encourage a winner-takes-all mentality, rent-seeking attitude and incentive structures that have no regard for merit, hard work and self-reliance. How do we expect to live in peace in the midst of injustice and extreme income inequalities? How can we have progress, innovation and industry when our social, economic and political systems do not reward excellence, hard work and risk taking?

Effectiveness and efficiency
Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.
Are we using our natural resource endowments to diversify our economy for the future when we run out of reserves of oil,gas and minerals? Are we doing the needful to protect our environment, protecting flora, fauna and ways of life for future generations?
We have neither effectiveness nor efficiency in our sustainable use of our natural and human resources.

Accountability
Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to who varies depending on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organization or institution. In general an organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.

The Stakeholders
Since governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented, the stakeholders involved in governance vary depending on the level of government that is under discussion. For instance, in rural areas, the major stakeholders may include influential land lords, associations of peasant farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutes, religious leaders, finance institutions, political parties, the military etc. The situation in urban areas is much more complex. At the national level, in addition to the above major stakeholders, media, lobbyists, international donors, multi-national corporations, etc. may play a role in decision-making or in influencing the decision-making process.
However, all the stakeholders other than government and the military are grouped together as part of the “civil society.” In some countries in addition to the civil society, organized crime syndicates also influence decision-making, particularly in urban areas and at the national level.
Importance of Good Governance
The conceptual framework of good governance connotes that the most plausible approach to governance should be rights-based predicated on specific norms and objectives as might be laid down. Although significantly related to democracy, the question of good governance is culture specific and system bound; depending largely on the historical experiences of a nation, its cultural values; aspirations of the people and the stated political and economic objectives of the state.
In the Nigerian situation, the parameters for measuring ‘good governance’ are duly entrenched in the Constitution. For instance, section 14 (1) of the Constitution provides thus: “…the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a state based on principles of democracy and social justice”.
Whether we are in any sense near that threshold is a matter for us to possibly examine at this forum and propagate a way forward.
In a more specific term, section 16 (2) of the constitution provides thus: “…the state shall direct its policy towards ensuring –
(a) the promotion of planned and balanced economic development;
(b) that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good;
(c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group; and
(d) that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens”.
Generally, it is only when an appraisal of how the affairs of a country are run is aptly undertaken that the inference can be drawn on whether the government is good or bad; a success or a failure. From World Bank’s viewpoint, the most notable features of bad governance are:
(1) failure to make a clear separation between what is public and what is private;
(2) failure to establish a predictable framework for law and government behaviour in a manner that is conducive to development, or
(3) arbitrariness in the application of rules and laws;
(4) excessive rules, regulations, licensing requirements, etc, which impede the functioning of markets and encourage rent-seeking;
(5) priorities which are inconsistent with development, thus, resulting in a misallocation of resources and
(6) excessively narrow base for, or non-transparency in decision making.

What are the Challenges facing Nigeria State on Good Governance?
Since democracy has been identified as a veritable platform for the germination of good governance, the grimy state of governance in Nigeria could be attributable to the fact that at no time has Nigeria Nation State truly experienced democracy. What has all along been experience, since independence, is ‘civil rule’ BUT perhaps not democracy in the real sense.
As contended by some political theorists, the classification of Nigeria’s brand of ‘democracy’ is cumbersome. It is not a monarchy, even though many monarchs exercise influences at some strata of the polity. It is actually not an aristocracy because by its definition aristocracy means government by the best. And not truly a democracy because the basic understanding is that democracy is government of people by the people and for the people. What then is truly the Nigerian political system?
Another estate of the realm – the Judiciary, which is perceived as the last hope of the common man is being terribly subjugated by the political elite. The judicial integrity, independence and due process required as indispensable portal of good governance has been grossly eroded for by the executive branch for parochial goals.
A free and independent judiciary, which is a sine qua non for good governance has suffered terrible bashing in Nigeria in the last few years.
The last estate of the realm – the Media which should have served as the watchdog and a supportive base for good governance is general sectional, sycophantic and susceptible to commercial influence – to play the tune dictated by the obsequious politicians at the helm of affairs. It is apparent that a greedy or ingratiating media cannot promote the rule of law.
Happily developments in social media are making traditional media less relevant in Nigeria.

Which is the way out of the Quagmire?
The most probable way out of the quagmire which has made good governance elude our society is what your organisation is prioritizing by sensitizing youths, who are the future leaders, to imbibe a character of excellence different from a culture of impunity. It is caprice and impunity that have pervaded the attitudes of most of our past and present leaders who view the country as their personal fiefdom.
This calls for us all to first ensure that the spirit of good governance is deeply entrenched individually and collectively in order to have requisite moral fortitude to effect the required changes that would probably save our country before the badly battered polity finally collapses.
To effect the needed change, the youths require guts, raw guts. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt “…credit belongs to the [person[ who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if [he/she] fails, at least fails while daring greatly…”.
It is important to note that in the pursuit of leadership excellence for the emerging generation, that tidy narratives, and eloquent rhetoric, usually displayed on the most popular social media platforms – BlackBerry, Twitter and Facebook must be underwritten by raw guts, courage and an anger to drive change for the better.
If the citizens, especially young professionals properly network in groups and form formidable teams, they would be able to meet and resist suppressive regimes. They can confront such regimes, meet them head-on without a tremor and repulse them without fear. This is an emerging reality as citizens across the globe are pushing for positive change in the realm of leadership.
It is when organizations internalize the principles of good governance in their own miniature scopes that they can muster the courage to effect the expected changes in the wider scope nationwide. We should always bear in mind that such a feat cannot be attained when young privileged to serve at any of the political strata betray their generation or join the decadent old brigade to continue with business as usual
Major excerpts culled from a DISCUSSION PAPER BY NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI, OFR at a Jaycees International event in Lagos on SUNDAY, 29TH JANUARY, 2012
The information contained in this publication is only intended as a general review of the subject concerned and should not be treated as a substitute for specific advice concerning specific situations.
If you need further information about any issue discussed above, please contact

Ademola Alade

DELAYUS NIGERIA LIMITED

N6/811 Oyo Road, Opp UI Main Gate, Ibadan

Phone: +234-1-8221835

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E-mail: demola@delayus.net